In the News

Prosperity and Equality

In a populist election year pervaded by economic discontents—lagging middle-class incomes, rising inequality, and the purported workforce displacements caused by immigrants, globalization, and free-trade agreements—the Radcliffe Institute addressed the issues head-on. Its morning symposium, “Building an Economy for Prosperity and Equality,” featured some of the most interesting researchers addressing these problems as participants in a searching, intelligent exchange of the sort that rarely occurred in the debates televised during the primary season. (Full participant backgrounds appear at the bottom of this post; the luncheon—which will be reported in full in a separate dispatch—featured remarks by Ben S. Bernanke ’75, former chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, followed by a conversation between Beren professor of economics Gregory Mankiw and Radcliffe Medalist Janet Yellen, the current Fed chair.)

Related Event

Radcliffe Day

Harvard Magazine says of Radcliffe Medalist Federal Reserve Chair, "Yellen has been unapologetic in her view that restraining inequality is inherent in the Fed’s mandate, a role which has cemented her leadership in the public conversation on inequality."

The New York Times attends Radcliffe Day and the coverage highlights the morning panel on the economy and Radcliffe Medalist Janet Yellen's remarks and what they may mean for interest rates in the months ahead.

Reuters joins more than 1300 attendees at Radcliffe Day at which Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen was the honoree. Article features quotations from Chair Yellen and the impact on the markets of what she said.